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"These are the Nine Veined Purple Fungus and the Jade Bone Immortal Grass. They will benefit you."
Zhong Li didn't explain just how rare these two "herbs" were in the Douluo Continent—nor how explosive their effects could be.
He simply told Chi Yu the order in which to consume them and how, then fell silent.
Immortal herbs?
To ordinary people—or those of the Douluo Continent—they might as well have been.
But in Zhong Li's eyes, they weren't even worth a single Glass Lily...
Being good to those around him was just the care of an "old father." There was no deeper meaning.
"Wishing to buy osmanthus and share wine... yet when will I see old friends again?"
Hearing Zhong Li's words, Chi Yu didn't doubt him for a second.
If he said these plants would help her, then they would.
Sitting cross-legged, she placed the Jade Bone Immortal Grass in front of her and began nibbling on the Nine Veined Purple Fungus.
Despite its plant-like appearance, the fungus melted in her mouth the moment she bit into it, transforming into streams of energy that fused with her body...
Chi Yu quickly finished the fungus, then closed her eyes to begin refining it.
"Zhong Li, isn't this one of the herbs from the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well?"
"Won't Little Chi Yu have any side effects?"
Paimon watched as the girl broke into a sweat, her face flushed, and couldn't help but worry.
Though she hadn't talked much with Chi Yu, she still cared about her.
Or rather—she worried about any good person in danger.
"Chi Yu will be fine. The Nine Veined Purple Fungus is repairing her body, making up for her deficiencies, and filling the gaps left by years of hardship."
"For her, this is a blessing."
Yu Xiaogang: Then what about me?!
For Chi Yu, this was a blessing—but for Yu Xiaogang, this had been his hope of breaking through Level 29!
"Are all the herbs in the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well this amazing?"
Paimon's eyes widened in bewilderment.
She remembered that even Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan had been poisoned—and cured by those very herbs.
Now, Chi Yu's poor health was being remedied the same way.
What even was this place?
About two hours passed, the sky darkening, yet Chi Yu remained seated, the pain on her face long gone.
Nearby, a campfire flickered. Zhong Li sat beside it, Paimon at his side.
Both watched Chi Yu intently.
Over those two hours, they had witnessed her transformation—and Paimon had been shocked multiple times.
Because the color of Chi Yu's cat ears had changed repeatedly.
Finally, they returned to snowy white.
"Strange. After the Nine Veined Purple Fungus's effects, she could have reverted to a normal human appearance. Why did she choose to keep her original form?"
Zhong Li was puzzled but didn't voice it.
For humans, Chi Yu's condition was considered a flaw—one the fungus could have fixed.
She could have become an ordinary girl, only showing her "beastkin" traits when releasing her martial soul.
Yet she had kept the ears and tail.
Why?
A while later, Chi Yu's eyes snapped open, sparkling with joy. She felt lighter than ever before, her body brimming with energy.
During the process, she'd had multiple chances to revert to a normal human form—but she had refused every one.
Maybe... Zhong Li prefers her like this?
Even if Chi Yu had never gone to school and knew little about the world, after consuming the Nine Veined Purple Fungus, she wasn't stupid.
She understood just how precious these "herbs" were.
"Master actually gave me something so valuable..."
A blush crept onto her cheeks, her thoughts drifting.
Having come from the auction house, she hadn't experienced certain things—but she'd heard enough.
Without hesitation, she began consuming the Jade Bone Immortal Grass.
She couldn't let Zhong Li down.
If he told her to eat it, she would—no second thoughts!
"For Master's sake, I must become strong!"
With that resolve, she closed her eyes again.
"Huh? Little Chi Yu's changing colors again!"
Zhong Li: "..."
Was it possible she was just refining the medicinal energy?
No wonder people usually hid away when cultivating or consuming rare herbs.
This constant color-shifting looked way too bizarre!
Mentally sighing, Zhong Li kept his expression neutral, continuing to guard Chi Yu.
Before long, morning arrived.
Chi Yu's refinement speed was painfully slow.
She had only absorbed a fraction of the herbs' power—the rest remained stored in her body.
This was normal. At only Level 10, fully refining them would likely take her until at least Level 70.
Paimon lay on a small bed, blankets tucked around her, sleeping soundly—with no intention of waking anytime soon.
Only near Zhong Li would she dare sleep so carelessly in a spirit beast forest.
Then again, if she was too tired, she'd sleep just as deeply anywhere.
When Chi Yu opened her eyes again, her first sensation was a sticky layer of blackened grease coating her skin.
Thanks to her martial soul, her nose was extremely sensitive—and the stench nearly knocked her out.
Before she could react, a small house—its walls formed of amber-colored stone—rose from the ground, enclosing her.
Inside, a large wooden tub and a set of fresh clothes awaited.
"Wash up. You've been reborn."
Zhong Li's voice echoed in her ears.
Too overwhelmed for embarrassment, she hurried to clean herself.
When Paimon finally awoke, she blinked at the cat-eared girl before her in confusion.
Wait, where's Chi Yu?
And who was this stunning beauty who looked vaguely like her?
The old Chi Yu had been pretty, sure—but not top-tier beautiful.
Now?
After the herbs' transformation, she was breathtaking.
With her cat ears and tail adding an exotic charm, the effect was... indescribable.
"Paimon, what's wrong?"
Chi Yu tilted her head, puzzled.
She didn't realize she was the reason for Paimon's stunned expression.
That familiar, soft voice made Paimon's confusion worse.
"You're... Chi Yu?"
The tone was identical—which only deepened Paimon's bewilderment.
Had the cat girl undergone a magical girl transformation overnight?!
"Mhm."
Was Paimon's memory that bad?
If not for the lack of mirrors in Sunset Forest, Chi Yu might have understood Paimon's reaction.
"Let's go. We'll hunt a soul ring first, then return to Heaven Dou City for lunch..."
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 105 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 20 power stones I will publish the next chapter.